Table of Contents:
🌿 Sowing kale: a super-strong green for the coldest months Types of kale seeds and their characteristics — from classic to curly Sowing, prickling out & planting out — a slow start pays off Soil preparation & soil — nutritious without being too much Growing kale: Location & water Nutrition & fertilization — support, don’t push 🐛 Diseases and pests — little to worry about, but stay alert 🧺 Harvesting & storing kale — leaf by leaf, month after month 🍽️ In the kitchen — simplicity that continues to surprise 🌱 Finally, about sowing kale, a plant that keeps on giving Frequently asked questions about sowing kale
🌱 Sowing & planting
Kale ( Brassica oleracea var. acephala subvar. laciniata ) is a leafy cabbage from the Cruciferous family. You can grow both medium-sized and tall varieties for autumn and winter harvests.
- Sowing depth: approximately 1.25 cm.
- Sowing method: Sow in 6–8 cm pots, in trays or in pressed cubes.
- Germination temperature: around 13 °C or higher.
- Germination time: 🕒 7–10 days.
- Planting distance: approximately 50 cm between plants and 60 cm between rows.
- Growth cycle: approx. 100 days from sowing to first harvest.
📅 Growing times throughout the year
- Autumn cultivation: sow outdoors in May; harvest from September to mid-December.
- Winter cultivation: sow outdoors June–early July; harvest from December to mid-March.
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
NOV DEC
Autumn cultivation
Winter cultivation
🪟 Under glass / greenhouse
Outside / open ground
Popular breeds
- Vert Demi-Nain / Medium Fine Curl – medium-height autumn kale with finely curled leaves.
- Westland Winter (BIO) – kale for autumn and winter cultivation, resistant to frost.
